Description
Bandol Blanc, Château de Pibarnon, Eric de St-Victor 2022
Château de Pibarnon, Eric de St-Victor
Overlooking the Mediterranean and grown on undulating hills where olive trees, cypresses, figs, pink laurels, pines and oaks grow, the Pibarnon vineyard truly dazzles the eyes – a bit of paradise in Provence, situated on the highest slopes of the soil of Bandol. The wonderment begins as you start up the small, winding road from the village of Cadière d’Azur to Château de Pibarnon. The road climbs up through the vines and pine trees of Alep, offering unforgettable glimpses of Ciotat bay and Bec de l’Aigle. Then, round a sharp bend, the Pibarnon estate reveals all its charm. On the hill where the optical telegraph linking Toulon to Paris used to be, stands the Pibarnon farmhouse, a perfect replica of an 18th century Provençal farmhouse. Above the farmhouse are serried ranks of vines up to a height of 300 metres and a series of corries facing the peaks of Le Castellet to the north and the resolutely blue sea to the south. From the cellar’s terrace, the view is worthy of the Theatre of Epidaurus. Remodelled by hefty bulldozers, the semi-circular vineyard looks like a mighty Greek amphitheatre overlooking Cap Sicié and the Mediterranean. The vines, planted on restanques, centuries-old terraces hand-built by generations of “wall-builders”, resemble hanging gardens suspended on those steep slopes.
Still quite energetic – this is normal as it won’t fully open up until the middle of next spring. It is still a teenager and therefore very erratic, an energetic southerner who is still lacking in experience. Let’s patiently wait until it is bottled for it to reach its full elegant potential mixed with insolence that will make your tastebuds dance, twirling red berries and sweet spices with its beautifully elegant and sensual stature. It goes perfectly with colourful and inventive dishes full of sweet and rare spices. A four seasons rosé; ethereal, refreshing and fruity in the first few months and then more mineral, complex, long and structured.
Grapes: 55% CIairette- 30% Bourboulenc
Organic
